Hosta plant named ‘Seducer’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Hosta  plant named ‘Seducer’ characterized by cordate leaves having variegated leaf margins of yellowish green, leaf centers of bluish dark green center and developing an irregular thin creamy white intermediate bolt between the margin and center, with near white flowers and light lavender buds on strong erect scapes.

Botanical classification: Hosta hybrid (Tratt.)

Variety denomination: ‘Seducer’.

BACKGROUND AND ORIGIN OF THE PLANT

The present invention relates to the new and distinct hosta plant, Hosta‘Seducer’ hybridized by Stuart R. Asch in the summer of 1997 at a gardenin Clawson, Mich. and was separated as a seedling of potential in thesummer of 2001. The new plant is the result of an open-pollinationbetween Hosta ‘Dorothy Benedict’ (not patented) as the female or podparent and an unknown plant as the male or pollen parent. Hosta‘Seducer’ has been asexually propagated by division at the garden inClawson, Mich. and has also been propagated by tissue culture at anursery in Zeeland, Mich. since the fall of 2006 with all resultantasexually propagated plants having retained all the same traits as theoriginal plant. The plant is stable and reproduces true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

The most similar known hosta cultivar known to the applicant is: Hosta‘Déjà Blu’ (not patented). ‘Déjà Blu’ has a similar white boltingbetween the yellow margin and bluish green center. However, the newplant has a much larger leaf and larger habit, has less lavender in theflowers and blooms later that ‘Déjà Blu’. Hosta ‘Seducer’ differs fromits female parent by having a stable variegated leaf margin compared toan unstable streaking throughout the leaf, more cordate leaf blades withless rugose and a taller flower scape with slightly more lavender buds.

Hosta ‘Seducer’ differs from all other hostas known to the applicant, bythe combination of the following traits.

-   -   1. Cordate leaf blades with yellowish green margin a bluish dark        green center.    -   2. Developing a thin creamy white bolt irregularly flashing and        following the jetting between the margin and center colors.    -   3. Lavender buds opening to near white flowers beginning in late        June.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new plant demonstrate the overall appearance ofthe plant, including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate asreasonably possible with color reproductions. Ambient light spectrum,temperature, source and direction may cause the appearance of minorvariation in color.

FIG. 1 shows the habit of the new plant in mid season in the landscape.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of a leaf of the new plant in mid season.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions and color references are based on the 2001edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except wherecommon dictionary terms are used. The new plant, Hosta ‘Seducer’, hasnot been observed under all possible environments. The phenotype mayvary slightly with different environmental conditions, such astemperature, light, fertility, moisture and maturity levels, but withoutany change in the genotype. The following observations and sizedescriptions are of a three-year old plant in a 50% shaded trial gardenin Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental water and fertilizer.

-   Botanical classification: Hosta hybrid;-   Parentage: Female—Hosta ‘Dorothy Benedict’ (not patented);    male—unknown;-   Propagation: Garden division and sterile plant tissue culture;-   Time to initiate roots from tissue culture: About two to three    weeks;-   Growth rate: Moderate;-   Crop time: About 12 to 15 weeks to finish during the summer in a    one-liter container from rooted tissue culture plantlet;-   Rooting habit: Fleshy, lightly branching, with roots up to 35 cm    long;-   Plant shape and habit: Hardy herbaceous perennial with basal rosette    of leaves emerging from rhizomes producing a symmetrical mound of    semi horizontal leaves in youth, becoming slightly more rounded with    age; producing upright flowering scapes;-   Plant size: Foliage height about 45 cm tall from soil line to the    top of the leaves and about 110 cm wide at the widest point just    above soil line;-   Foliage description: Entire, glabrous, glaucous, cordate, acute leaf    apex with cordate to auriculate base; coarsely rippled undulation    along margin; 20 to 28 cm long and 16 to 22 cm wide, average 22 cm    long and 18 cm wide;-   Leaf blades: Simple, entire, with undulated margin; bi-laterally    symmetrical; glabrous and dull surface on top, glabrous and glaucous    below; variegation pattern variable with the margin between about    2.5 cm to 4.0 cm wide with some jetting of margin or center color    into the edge or center and uneven folding of the tunic layers    producing a series of intermediate colors between the leaf center    and margin;-   Leaf blade color: Early season adaxial (top) center color closest to    RHS 137D; early season abaxial (underside) center closest to RHS    N138D; early season margin adaxial closest to RHS 144A; early season    abaxial margin closest to RHS 144D; Mid-season and later summer    adaxial margins between RHS N144A and RHS 153A; mid-season and later    summer abaxial margins closest to RHS 153A; mid-season and later    center closest to RHS 139B and abaxial center nearest RHS N138D;    intermediate colors where margin and center unevenly fold of RHS    148C, RHS 147D, RHS 138D and also with an irregular bolt of RHS 11D    between margin and the next color inside of the margin;-   Petiole: Entire, glabrous; mostly straight from base of plant to    leaf base, concave center, slightly stiff; 27 to 35 cm long and 14    to 20 mm wide at base, average about 30 cm long and 18 mm wide;-   Petiole color: Adaxial center closest to RHS 138A with adaxial    margin closest to RHS 12D; abaxial center pale green between RHS    145B and RHS 145C darkening to slightly darker than RHS 145A with    abaxial margin closest RHS 12D;-   Veins: Parallel, slightly raised on abaxial side, 12 pair;-   Veins color: Adaxial side closest to RHS 144B and abaxial side    between RHS 138B and RHS 138C;-   Flower description:    -   -   Buds two to three days prior to opening.—Globose apex about            1.4 cm in diameter with base narrowing at about mid-length            to about 0.4 cm diameter; about 4.0 cm long.        -   Bud color.—White near base lighter than RHS 155D and            lavender between RHS 84C and RHS 84D near apex with the            apical 2 mm green closest to RHS 138A.        -   Flowers.—Funnelform; 3.5 to 4.0 cm wide and 6.0 to 6.5 cm            long, (distal flowers smaller), persists for a normal            period, usually one day on plant or as cut flower; stapes            remain effective with flowers from late June to late July            with 35 to 50 flowers per scape; no detectable fragrance.        -   Tepal.—Two sets of three, fused at base; clavate with acute            apex; glabrous, entire; each approximately 6.0 cm long and            the inner set 1.5 cm wide and outer set 1.3 cm wide;            coloring of both sets identical, white, lighter than RHS            155D, inside and out with slight tinting of RHS 84C near            apical 3 mm of outer tepal set; tepal veins distinctly            depressed set of seven on adaxial surface of outer tepals            with inner tepals only three depressed veins; vein color            white, lighter than RHS 155D.        -   Gynoecium.—Style: single, 6.5 to 7.0 cm long, 1 mm diameter,            curled upward at distal end; RHS 11D. Stigma: single;            globose, about 2 mm in diameter, RHS 157A. Ovary: oblong,            about 7.0 mm long and 2.5 mm wide; color between RHS 145A            and RHS 145B.        -   Androecium.—Filaments: six, less than 1 mm in diameter and            3.0 cm long curved upward in the apical 0.5 cm; closest to            RHS 11D. Anthers: 4 to 5 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, dehiscent            longitudinally; closest to RHS N187C. Pollen: elliptic, less            than 0.1 mm long, closest to RHS 13B.        -   Peduncle.—One per mature division; glaucous; 85 to 90            degrees from horizontal, more horizontal with more single            directional lighting; 90 to 100 cm tall, and up to 10 mm in            diameter at base; closest to RHS 138A with a heavy glaucous            bloom.        -   Pedicel.—Approximately 15 mm long, 2 mm wide; RHS 141B at            base and closest to RHS 157D at distal portion, becoming RHS            138A with ripening fruit.        -   Bracts.—Each flower subtended by a single bract decreasing            in size distally with one or two additional bracts about 4.0            cm and 16.0 cm below first flower; glaucous and glabrous            both surfaces, margin entire, sessile, apex acute; concaved            supporting flower bud; lowest bracts resembling sessile            leaves with largest 13.5 cm long 6.5 cm wide and smallest            bracts 1.0 cm long and about 0.5 cm wide.        -   Bract color.—Lower bracts center closest to RHS 138A adaxial            and abaxial surfaces; adaxial margins closest to RHS 11A;            abaxial margins nearest RHS 11B; intermediate colors between            margins and center ranging closest to RHS 145C and RHS 138D;            upper bracts adaxial and abaxial surfaces between RHS 189A            and RHS 137B with purplish tinting of closest to N187B and 1            mm wide margins of RHS 159D with tinting of RHS N187D.-   Fruit: Tri-loculicidal capsule, about 3.5 cm long and 7 mm diameter;    between RHS 139B and RHS 141B as ripening;-   Seed: Flattened single-winged nutlet with swollen embryo at one end;    about 12 mm long, 3 mm wide and 1 mm thick at embryo; nearest RHS    202A;-   Disease and pest resistance: The new plant has not shown any    resistance to pests and diseases common to hostas. The plant grows    best and shows best coloration with plenty of moisture, adequate    drainage and light shade, but is able to tolerate some drought when    mature and direct sun without leaf burn when provided sufficient    water. Hardiness at least from USDA zone 3 through 9, and other    disease resistance is typical of that of other hostas.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of ornamental Hosta plant named ‘Seducer’as herein described and illustrated, with wide variegated leaf marginsof yellowish green, leaf centers of bluish dark green center anddeveloping an irregular thin creamy white intermediate bolt between themargin and center, with near white flowers and light lavender buds onstrong erect scapes suitable as a potted plant, for the garden, and forcut flower arrangements.